They--his parents--had given him life, and that was all.

He owed them thanks for that, or he would have owed them thanks if he considered his life to be worth anything.

But he owed them nothing because they had spoiled the life they had given him, had spoiled it by depriving him of everything he had a right to expect from them--love, sympathy, decent treatment.

They had given him instead, blows, kicks, curses, hatred.

Hatred! Yes, they had hated him; they had told him that; he was convinced of it.